Anyone Seen Spring?

 We currently have the 9th snowiest winter since records started. Every time we think spring might be coming, it snows, again. We had another blast of snow, yesterday, though with some rain mixed in, so it was heavy shoveling this morning. I just want to curl up and read a book, or knit. So I have been doing both. 

I did have a squirrel project, early in the month. I came across some fabrics, that I had forgotten about, and decided to turn one fat quarter into a small Retreat Bag. Details are here.

After posting it on my blog, a friend asked if I would make her one. I offered her this one, and added a zipper charm to the pull.

Meanwhile, I have been planning out a set of three phone clutches, for three different users. 

The first is going to be from a Tula Pink fat quarter, with some other fabrics added from my stash.

The second request was for cat fabric, and she chose this fabric. I added the the text fabric, the blue lining and the splashy cork.

The third is dreaming of spring.

Not quite sure about the lining for this one. 

I managed to find suitable fabric in my stash (no surprise, really) and have the exterior for the first bag cut. Perhaps this week, I will feel the inspiration to move forward with these. The cutting always seems like the hardest part. 

I needed a new sock project and after 2 pairs of dark socks, I decided I needed something bright.

Of course, my first attempt at a picture was much darker.

Always make sure that your helper is out of the room when you try to take pictures. Mudd loves to photobomb my knitting pictures.

Linking up to Sandra's Dreami #71

A Tiny Squirrel

I am suppose to be making masks for back to school, and I have a bunch of cutting finished. However, I got distracted by a family elder getting a new phone. A new phone would, of course, require a case. I measured the phone, pulled out some fabric and looked at my numbers. The numbers were very close to the size of the hand sanitizer pouches that I make. I had one sitting here, so I tried it, and it was a close fit but a bit pinched at the top.

See the problem? The top right corner is leaning toward the inside. So I pulled out my stitch ripper. and opened up the turning opening.

 Then I turned it inside out and trimmed the seam allowances at the join between the lining and the outside. Turned it back, and presto!

All nice and square now, after a 15 minute repair.  Of course, I'm still behind on the masks but I have time to cut some today.

My garden at the front is looking good with all the rain we have had. 

We have a serious pink theme this year! Sadly, the pots closer to the house have had invaders.

For some reason, the squirrels seem to be digging in the pots. The begonias are not happy. However, someone is happy to see squirrels.

Emme discovered that her yard has squirrels and she is thrilled. The kittens are settling in and decided this is their home. 

Linking up with Sandra for her DrEAMi party. Check out who else got distracted this month.

https://www.mmmquilts.com/2022/08/dreami-65.html

DrEAMi! #61 or Was That A Squirrel?

 It is that time of the year. The squirrels in my yard are very busy and very hungry. I don't have any pictures of the squirrels but I can give you one with a chipmunk.

This is the marvelous Mystique, one of our long term foster cats. She was with us for over a year in total. We put peanuts on the window ledge to entertain her. We called it her car order. Here she is taking the order of a passing chipmunk.

Actually, the squirrels for this blog are those little projects that you just have to try. I spent most of the month working on my Boronia Bowler Bag, and Friday, I finally finished it. 

https://artsandsocks.blogspot.com/2022/03/boronia-bowler-bag-finally-done.html

However, while I was waiting for matching thread to arrive (yes, I was silly enough not to check to see if I had the correct coloured thread before I started), I saw a new project I just had to try.

This is the Effortless Twin Pouch, by Spencer Ogg Patterns. It is a free video tutorial on her YouTube Channel. https://youtu.be/DJzXP9S_zl4

It was quick and easy. I used a fat quarter, some PUL fabric and a zipper I had in my stash, and I did have matching thread for this one. However, because the PUL can't be ironed, I couldn't get crisp folds to make it stand up, unless it had something heavy in the pockets. It also didn't stay folded.

So, today, I mad another one, using the same fabrics, and added a magnetic snap, this time.

I also put a crisp fold in the cotton fabric before I started to see if that would help. 

This is the new bag (the zippers are different colours) and it stands pretty well. 

The centre fold looks pretty good.

On the first one, I added bar tacks to hold the fold.

Now I need to try one with a cotton lining and maybe do French seams on the outside to help it stand. Obviously, there are more squirrel projects to try here!

I'm linking to Sandra's "Drop Everything And Make it" link up, over at MMMQuilts.  Go and check out the other projects.

June DrEAMi

Sandra, over at mmm Quilts has a monthly link up called Drop Everything And Make it (DrEAMi) where you can show off the squirrel projects, the projects that distracted you from your intended projects.

In the midst of making my Pony Express Bag, I was asked to make a PRIDE Antependium for church. So I pulled out my scraps and made this.

It is based on a pattern for a pillow top, that I saw on Sandra's blog. Here it is, in place.

Since we only have 10 people in the church right now, and everyone else watches on line, I made masks for everyone who would be taking part, as well as ribbon pins.

I have used up much of my rainbow fabric in this effort. However, I might have added a bit more to replace it.

(also got some dinosaurs and border collies). No risk of my stash running out before I can do in person shopping, again.

Linking up with the DrEAMi Link Party.

August Squirrel Moments

 August has flown by. I had big plans to finish a wall hanging and a paper pieced project. The highlight of my month, instead, was the Virtual Pride Walk for Bruce House, when six church friends joined me on a walk around the neighbourhood, and for a social time after, all carefully distanced. 

The walk was very successful. We raised $750 which will be matched by a corporate sponsor. It is good to know that while big fundraisers like galas are cancelled, it is still possible for individuals to make a difference in their community.

So far, I have made 20 Hand Sanitizer Pouches, and I have orders for a few more. These were the last ones I finished.

I also changed the cover on my ironing board. I bought a new one at IKEA months ago, but it took spilling coffee on the old one to get me to change it. 

This week's Drop Everything And Make it moment came when I heard that a good friend of my son had her baby. I had been told that the baby was due in October, but apparently that date had been changed. Mom and baby are fine (Dad is probably in shock), but the baby gift needed to be finished, immediately.

So, I grabbed some fabric and made some bibs to go with the already finished baby socks. There are fishes, because the baby is a Maritimer.  There is ambulances because her mother trained with my son as an Advanced Care Paramedic. There is Jyn Eros from Star Wars, because little girls need strong female role models (and her parents are Star Wars fans). The bibs were sewn, the parcel was packed and they were in the mail, in very short order. 

This week, I have been enjoying a juvenile Blue Jay, in my backyard. He (or she) has figured out that we put peanuts on the windowsills for the birds. The windowsill was empty, so he is making his request at the window.

His grownup feathers are slowly coming in, while his baby feathers are still visible in places. I am referring to him as my baby pterodactyl, although he is losing that look, quickly. You can just see the start of what will become his crest.

My grubby windows made me realize that the window washing crew hasn't called to tell me when they are coming. So, I dropped everything and sent them an email, asking for an appointment. 

I am linking up to Sandra at Musings of a Menopausal Melon - mmm quilts.